#FamilySupport

Grandparents are stepping in as essential caregivers in Thailand, filling the gap created by rising childcare costs, uneven public services, and shifting work patterns. Across urban and rural communities, older generations balance caregiving with their own needs, enriching family life while facing real challenges.

In many households, grandparents do more than babysit. They help with morning routines, meals, reading, and after-school supervision. Research on family care in Southeast Asia shows that multigenerational arrangements are a practical response to income pressures and housing realities. As two-income households become more common and parents work away from extended families, the role of grandparents in daily childcare grows more central, underscoring the durability of family-based support in Thai society.

Across the world, grandparents are stepping in to fill the childcare gap left by soaring costs and insufficient support. A recent feature published in The Guardian highlights how “an overwhelming bond of love” is driving countless grandparents in the UK to take up sustained roles that look less like occasional babysitting and more like active parenting. This trend—rooted in love, necessity, and social circumstance—is not confined to the UK. Here in Thailand, shifting family structures, economic pressures, and policy gaps have likewise thrust grandparents into pivotal roles as childcare providers, producing both unique rewards and considerable challenges for Thai families.

Recent scientific findings have shed new light on how alcohol consumption poses growing health risks as people age, challenging long-held beliefs about “safe” drinking levels for seniors. These insights come as the number of older adults in Thailand steadily rises, making it crucial for families and healthcare professionals to reconsider their approach to alcohol use among the elderly.

Alcohol has long been recognized as a health risk at any age. However, new research highlighted by a comprehensive report in The New York Times reveals that as individuals age, the same alcoholic intake can cause far more harm than in younger years. According to the director of the Center for Addiction Research & Education at the University of Florida, alcohol “affects virtually every organ system in the body,” with pronounced effects in older adults whose organs may already be experiencing age-related decline (nytimes.com).

New evidence shows alcohol can be more harmful as people age. With Thailand’s senior population rising, families and healthcare workers must rethink drinking guidance for older adults.

Research indicates the same amount of alcohol affects older bodies differently. As people age, they typically have less muscle mass and lower body water, resulting in higher blood alcohol levels after drinking. A senior adviser at a national health institute notes that even a few drinks can cause intoxication in older adults and raise the risk of falls and injuries. This is particularly relevant in Thailand, where many seniors live with family and participate in community gatherings.

In a story capturing the attention of family researchers and social commentators, a 25-year-old woman in South Carolina has found that sharing a home with her current husband and ex-husband has proved not only cost-effective but unexpectedly beneficial for their children. Published by Business Insider, the account details the journey of this family as they navigate an unconventional domestic arrangement born from both economic necessity and a commitment to shared parenting (businessinsider.com).

A South Carolina family’s living arrangement is drawing attention from researchers and commentators: a 25-year-old woman, her current husband, and her ex-husband now share a single home. The arrangement aims to reduce costs and strengthen parenting for their two children. The story, originally featured by Business Insider, highlights how economic pressures and a commitment to collaborative parenting can reshape family life.

For Thai readers, the piece resonates with broader themes: rising living costs, evolving family structures, and practical approaches to caregiving. The household first began to cohabit in the summer of 2024, prompted by financial strain and the complexities of coordinating parenting across separate households. Despite initial separation and relationship challenges, the trio found common ground by choosing to live together, distributing chores, meals, and daily routines.

A growing body of research is shattering myths about cult recruitment, exposing the dark psychological playbook behind how ordinary people are lured and ultimately ensnared by manipulative groups. Grounded in analysis inspired by the new TV series “Sirens,” which satirically depicts a lavish cult community, recent findings underscore that the path into cults is less about gullibility and more about sophisticated psychological manipulation, an insight with urgent relevance in Thailand and around the world (The Conversation).

A growing body of research is debunking myths about how people fall for cults. Instead of gullibility, experts point to sophisticated psychological manipulation that can ensnare ordinary individuals. This insight resonates with concerns in Thailand about coercive groups, and it highlights the universal need for awareness and education to protect communities.

For many Thai readers, cults may seem foreign or sensational. Yet cult-like groups—whether religious, spiritual, or secular—have appeared in Asia for decades. Understanding how these groups operate helps not only distant victims but also strengthens Thai society against coercive tactics that threaten families and communities.

A growing concern among child development experts highlights a syndrome many overlook: touch starvation. While the term sounds recent, its consequences for emotional and social development can be lasting, especially for young boys who may receive less physical affection from caregivers as they age. Experts urge a shift in parenting culture to ensure boys receive healthy, age-appropriate touch, an issue increasingly relevant in Thailand as families navigate modern life while preserving cultural values.

An emerging “touch starvation” epidemic is drawing alarm among child development experts, warning that young boys in particular are suffering emotional and social consequences due to a lack of physical affection from parents and caregivers. Research and psychological insights now highlight how this deprivation isn’t just a fleeting discomfort—it can leave a lifelong mark on mental health, suggesting urgent shifts in parenting culture, especially as traditional norms face rapid change in Thailand and worldwide (New York Post).

A large, long-term study indicates that regular aerobic activity during adolescence can significantly reduce depressive symptoms. The findings, published in a leading child and adolescent psychiatry journal, suggest that increasing physical activity during the tween-to-teen years may protect 14–18-year-olds from depression. For Thai families and educators facing rising youth mental health concerns, the research offers a hopeful pathway rooted in affordable, accessible health habits.

The Trondheim Early Secure Study tracked 873 children from ages 6 to 18, with follow-ups every two years. Researchers found that high levels of physical activity begin to show protective effects mainly during adolescence, particularly after age 14. Earlier adolescence (ages 10–14) did not display the same mental health benefits, according to the research. The study emphasizes that both total daily activity and the share of intense exercise contribute to reducing depressive symptoms.

A major new study has revealed that regular aerobic exercise significantly reduces symptoms of depression in adolescents aged 14 to 18, offering fresh hope for Thai families and educators grappling with the rising tide of youth mental health challenges. Reporting in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Norwegian researchers found that ramping up physical activity during these formative years may protect teens from developing depressive symptoms—a finding with powerful implications for Thailand’s youth and broader society (Psychology Today).

A new international study sheds light on why some Thai teens respond with heightened fear in everyday, safe situations. Researchers show that early-life adversity—such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction—can impair fear learning. This makes it harder for adolescents to distinguish safety from threat, triggering stronger emotional and physical reactions in daily life. The findings offer important context for Thailand’s ongoing focus on youth mental health and stress the need for culturally sensitive interventions in schools and communities.

A recent psychological study has found that adolescents who experienced adversity in childhood are more likely to respond with unwarranted fear to safe situations, revealing key insights into the long-term mental health risks faced by vulnerable Thai youths. Researchers discovered that teens exposed to early stressors such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction show greater difficulty distinguishing between safe and threatening cues, leading to heightened physiological and emotional reactions in everyday life. These findings, published in the prestigious Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, may help to explain the rising rates of anxiety and depression among Thai adolescents and underscore the urgent need for culturally sensitive mental health interventions (PsyPost.org, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry).

As parenting in the digital age becomes increasingly entangled with technology, a new book challenges parents not to reject digital tools, but to rethink their relationship with them in ways that serve both themselves and their communities. Amanda Hess’s “Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age,” recently discussed in Mother Jones, offers an incisive examination of the powerful hold technology exerts on modern parenting, and ultimately proposes a gentler, more honest approach to navigating the inevitable blend of screens, apps, and algorithms that now accompany family life (Mother Jones).

A new book invites parents to rethink their relationship with digital tools rather than abandon them. Amanda Hess’s Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age examines how technology already shapes modern parenting and suggests a gentler, more honest approach to navigating screens, apps, and algorithms that accompany family life. The discussion, highlighted in Mother Jones, emphasizes how digital life can support communities when used with intention rather than as a source of constant comparison.

A viral confession about intergenerational pressure has sparked a broader debate in Thailand over expectations around marriage, children, and support networks. The discussion echoes a global conversation: older parents urging their children to start families, while real-world backing often falls short once grandchildren arrive. The conversation is playing out online and in households across Thailand, where traditional norms still shape life choices.

According to reports, the video highlighted a stark gap between persistent parental urging to “settle down and have a family” and the practical help—or lack thereof—some grandparents provide after grandchildren come into the world. The message resonates with many Thai and international Millennials and Gen Z adults who feel constrained by long-standing expectations without reliable community or family backing.

A recent viral video has reignited a global discussion about the generational double standards around family-building, as one woman called out baby boomer parents for pressuring their children to have kids—only to withhold meaningful support once the grandchildren arrived. The conversation, which originated from a candid social media confession, has led to broader debate in Thailand, where societal expectations around marriage, parenthood, and intergenerational care remain deeply rooted.

The woman’s video, reported by Upworthy, struck a chord with viewers by highlighting the gap between the persistent urging of older parents for their children to “settle down and have a family,” and the reality that, once grandchildren arrive, practical help—from babysitting to emotional support—can be limited or conditional. The case mirrors experiences shared by many Millennial and Gen Z adults globally, including those in Thai society, who feel squeezed by traditional expectations without adequate communal or familial backing (Upworthy).

New research into the world’s most Googled parenting questions sheds light on the universal worries and challenges facing families, while also highlighting how Thai parents are adapting to rapid social and technological change. As digital platforms become the primary source of parenting information, data from global and local trends suggests parents are eager for authoritative guidance on childcare, health, and navigating family life in a fast-moving world (Times of India).

New global findings reveal the most Googled parenting questions, shedding light on universal worries and how Thai families are adapting to rapid social and tech change. As digital platforms become the main source of parenting advice, Thai parents increasingly seek authoritative, science-backed guidance on childcare, health, and everyday family life in a fast-moving world.

Thai readers will recognize familiar concerns: Why isn’t my baby sleeping? How can I soothe a crying child? How should we handle picky eating or bedwetting? When will my child start talking? These questions top search lists worldwide, illustrating how the internet unites parents while local values shape the answers.

A growing body of evidence has prompted leading child development and neuroscience experts to urgently warn lawmakers that parental shouting and verbal abuse can alter a child’s developing brain, with potentially lifelong mental health consequences. Experts delivered this message in a briefing to UK MPs, sparking renewed calls for policy action and broader public awareness of verbal maltreatment, which is now being recognized as a significant—and prevalent—form of child abuse.

A growing body of neuroscience and child-development research warns that verbal abuse from parents can alter a child’s developing brain and affect mental health for years. Leading experts shared these findings with policymakers in the UK, prompting renewed calls for action and broader public awareness about verbal maltreatment as a serious form of child abuse.

For Thai families, educators, and society, the message is clear: emotional safety is as crucial as physical safety for a child’s growth. In Thailand, where respect for elders and hierarchical family dynamics are deeply rooted, language used at home, in temples, and in classrooms can profoundly influence a child’s self-worth, relationships, and resilience.

Health authorities have unveiled new guidelines urging new mothers to increase their physical activity and improve their sleep habits, triggering widespread debate over the feasibility of these recommendations for parents of young infants. The advice, which is being “strongly encouraged” by medical experts, is rooted in growing evidence that exercise and quality sleep can support postpartum recovery—but many new parents and advocates are questioning whether such guidance truly reflects the day-to-day realities faced by mothers caring for newborns [The Guardian].

Health authorities have released guidelines urging new mothers to be more physically active and to improve sleep. The recommendations have sparked debate about whether parents of young infants can realistically meet such targets. Medical experts strongly support the idea that exercise and quality sleep aid postpartum recovery, but many parents and advocates question whether the guidance reflects day-to-day life for those caring for newborns. This discussion resonates in Thailand, where childcare is often shared within families, yet expectations on mothers remain high.